Most of the purchases that we do or services that we avail are determined by the brand image of the product/service. Brand image is primarily built by advertising, the feedback that we hear from others , brand ambassadors, our previous experience with the product/service, etc.

However when we haven't had personal experience about a product or service , or do not have someone who can share their experience reliably with us, we may get carried away by the advertisement image.

There is a corporate chain from the health care industry who advertise about their " caring " attitude towards the patients . Their advertisements are flamboyant and they promise 'heaven to earth' of possibilities and

' Why worry , when we are there' kind of an image in their advertisements.

When one of my relatives availed their service, it was pathetic. The 'care' displayed by their staff was not even basic and the staff weren't well trained to live up to the image created by the ads. The treatment ended up being substandard and the person had to shell out 200% extra over what a normal competitor would charge.

So never ever get carried away by the advertisements alone in making a decision. This is just a sample ( "We have ads promising to make children 'tall', Guys get girl friends at the whisk of buying a deodorant and so on). Of course, it's the job of the advertisers to create a larger than life image of the companies to the masses.

Be a prudent customer. Don't fall an easy prey to the BIG advertisers. Well, it is easier said than done in a world which revolves around on advertisements ( including this blog :-)